The Design Block

If you're looking for the latest in advertising and marketing, design related technology and lifestyle tips, and art or design highlights then you're in the right place. Find all this and more with the Design Block blog.

A man by the name of Andrew Chifari has broken Beau Chevassus’s record for ordering the world’s most expensive Starbucks drink. The drink in question is called the Sexagintuple Vanilla Bean Mocha Frappuccino.

What’s the most popular internet activity? Both social networking (37 minutes per day) and email (33 minutes) are at the top. But how much really happens in that time? By the time you finish reading this sentence, there will have been over 200,000 new Facebook posts, 22,000+…

To celebrate Shake Shack’s 10th anniversary at its original location in New York City’s Madison Square Park, Shake Shack has teamed up with some of New York’s most iconic chefs, including Daniel Boulud, David Chang and occasional Shake Shack collaborator Dominique Ansel.

Have ever wished you could eat all the bacon, cotton candy, and chocolate you wanted without worrying about your calories? Lick Me I’m Delicious, which was founded by Charlie Harry Francis, has created a machine in which you can eat flavoured mist.

For most people, a quiet drink after work is a quick treat before they head home for their dinner. However, for these Japanese, the end-of-the-day quickly pint turns into one too many. The result is people becoming passed out drunk and end up sleeping on the streets of Tokyo.

In anticipation of summer’s arrival, here’s some insider tips on how to make the best possible ice cream sandwiches. Now, you’ll have the knowledge you need to be the architect of your own dessert and blow your friends and family away.

How do you break bad news to someone? Do you sugarcoat it or tell the truth? If you’ve ever had to break bad news to someone, but weren’t quite sure how to do it, there’s now a solutions. Seb Lester is a graphic designer from the UK. He has a love or…

Douche is a word that is used to describe someone who has shown themselves to be very brainless in one way or another; thus comparing them to the cleansing product for vaginas. As society continues its downward spiral, I thought that it would be good to point…

The majority of workers spend an average of eight hours every single working day sitting at their desks. So it’s not surprising that sometimes we don’t have the motivation to work. Some of the most common time wasters are pretty normal, like frequently checking email. Others, like…

As the middle class has grown, so have middle class problems. The online world is jammed full of parents and Millennials blogging about crises that are anything but. A life of privilege obviously brings hardships for many, like when “Starbucks all out of pumpkin spice, now I have to settle…

Using a pickup line to get a woman’s attention is something I wouldn’t recommend doing. I’m also pretty sure that any woman would probably tell you it’s an awful idea too. Pickup lines basically imply that you lack intelligence–that you don’t have that charm a women wants…

The array of possible hamburger topping combinations is only limited the mind, or tastebuds. However, a great burger can include a wide variety of toppings that you might or might not have already considered.

For people who generate ideas for a living, it is not uncommon to experience creativity ruts. To help you keep the creative juices flowing, Spanish ad agency SHOUT! Marketing has created an infographic, which lists a number of simple things that you can do everyday to stimulate the creative…

A lot of unexpected things can happen in the course of a day at the office—and making it through an office emergency can be difficult. So don’t wait until disaster strikes. It’s a smart idea to have office survival kits prepared for you and your…

Insults have been around since humans could communicate with one-another. Many have come and gone, but others have evolved over time. Read up on the obscure history of 10 PG-rated slang terms below and share with your friends.

If you’re in the marketing industry, like myself, trying to understand client feedback can be a tricky and confusing affair. Clients say one thing, but they actually mean another. It’s basically listening to a non-designer trying to explain type theory to you.

Each day you wake up and rush to get ready for work. You shower at lightning speed, wolf down your breakfast and grab your coffee before running out the door. After work, you eat dinner, sprawl out on the couch and binge Netflix. Then it’s…

Mexico-based Unelefante was founded by fine jewellery designer Tatiana Sanchez. It was a response to the mass-produced products flooding Mexico and putting pressure on hand-made traditions. Teaming up with Chef Jorge Llanderal and his family, they created a collection of beautifully designed chocolate bars that look like brightly coloured…

Chances are pretty good that your main goal in life is to end up happy. Is it accomplished through good finances, material goods, love, or something else entirely? And what is happiness exactly? Is it purely an emotion, or does being happy transcend just an in-the-moment chemical reaction?…

According to Creative Director Liza Enebeis, there are 12 types of designers out there. To do this, she consults her inner Zodiac to bring you your designer star sign. Find yours and discover what it has to offer.

In the United States, there are both federal and state laws; each of the 50 states are allowed to formulate and implement their own laws. Some of these laws are rarely implemented and are even considered weird, controversial and obnoxious. While some are outlandish and…

Cookies were first made after sugar became available as a baking ingredient about 1400 years ago. And did you know that over half of the cookies baked at home today are chocolate chip? But what about other famous cookies?

Sharks, lions and snakes may strike fear into your heart, but they do not even come close to being the deadliest animal on earth. Of the top ten deadliest creatures to humans, most are smaller than a Toonie! And sometimes distinguishing between a cute animal and deadly…

What makes a phrase cringe-worthy? The Huffington Post editors were asked which common phrases bother them the most. The common thread among the responses was uselessness. Often, the phrases that we find off-putting are those that serve as conversational fillers, implying that the speaker is vapid or…

Off-the-rack can’t compare with the bespoke tradition of having high quality, personalized goods made to your exact specifications. So, the website CustomMade has teamed up with Ghergich & Co. to create a useful guide that teaches us how to dress dapper in the modern age.

Saying goodbye to the person you were once close with after a breakup can be a hard thing to do. Chances are that we’ve all been there or know someone whose been in that situation. When it happens to you, it’s devastating. And while people can relate,…

I’m sure that most women know when a guy is hitting on them—it’s like a sixth sense. Whether it’s in the gym or the supermarket, and no matter what they look like, every women gets hit on from time to time. Which must be tiring.

Do you like to experience different types of whiskey? If so, then follow along a veritable world tour of the most-celebrated whiskeys; making major stops in the US (Jack Daniels, Knob Creek), Ireland (Jameson, Tullamore Dew), Canada (Crown Royal, Seagram’s), and Scotland (Johnnie Walker, The Glenlivet).

Blogger Nick Chipman, from DudeFoods, is no stranger to extravagance. He’s created everything from Bacon Weave Tacos to Deep Fried Mashed Potatoes. This time around, Nick’s found a way to incorporate all 26 letters of the alphabet into a single, magnificent looking sandwich.

In a world filled with late-night booty calls and infidelity, it’s easy to become jaded by today’s dating scene. Women expect the worst from men; proceeding cautiously during the first few months of dating. It becomes a relief for them when they then stumble upon those few true gentlemen.…

I’ve previous post about unbelievable places on Earth to visit before you die. Now I’d like to share some strange and sometimes haunting abandoned places on Earth. These abandoned places and real life ruins offer an eerie glimpse into what a world without humans might look like.

Travelling around the world has plenty of benefits: seeing new places, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people. Well, if you’re going to travel off the beaten path, be careful; so much as a thumb in the wrong direction could prove to be a huge insult to…

Our world is filled with indescribable beauty, both man-made and natural. And it’s hard to say whether a single lifetime would truly be enough to experience all of these unbelievable places. Most of us will probably never see all that the world has to offer us–but…

America is obsessed with burgers. From the Big Mac to what they serve up with a fistful of fries at diners, it’s become a daily staple for some. But what about the expensive burgers you get at upscale restaurants? Restaurants where the beef is exotic and handmade. Hold on…

No matter what the genre, a good writer needs to set the mood for their readers. Understanding the different styles of writing can give perspective into taking a blank page and figuring out how to mix things up to get the words flowing.

Do you ever wonder, “How much of this can I accidentally ingest before I die?” For your safety (and enjoyment) here’s a bunch of household items you should only enjoy in small quantities or not at all. Some things just don’t belong in your mouth. Don’t…

Being a man has it’s advantages, but sometimes we all need a few pointers. Chances are you won’t remember all of these tips for men that are provided below, but if you remember a few it might make you a better man.

Daniel Swanick has been working as both a freelance and in-house Art Director / Senior Graphic Designer in the Greater Toronto Area for over ten years. He looks at every project from both a creative and strategic point-of-view to deliver engaging, conceptually driven ideas.